SEMA 2013: Classic Industries, Bodie Stroud, And Tim Allen’s Camaro

One thing Bodie Stroud, star of Hot Rod TV and owner of BS Industries, likes about building a custom car is when his customer knows what he wants. And when actor and comedian Tim Allen came to Stroud to build a Camaro inspired by Smokey Yunick, he knew exactly what he wanted.

“The car was a real basket case”, Stroud said, “But that’s part of the challenge.” Stroud is no stranger to cars that almost seem too far gone, but it’s never stopped him. He recalled his first vehicle that helped launch him on his way into one of the premier builders these days, a 1961 VW Bus that he and his friends cruised everywhere. He finished it when he was about 18 years old, and knew at that time what he wanted to do for a living. He said he’d still have it, too, if someone hadn’t stolen it.

When Allen came to Stroud for this build, he had told Bodie that he was a huge fan of the 1968 Smokey Yunick Camaro, and he wanted one just like it – only better. Allen even knew what color he wanted the car to be, and what powerplant was to be in this beast of a build.

Stroud has done all kinds of builds for his customers, and the best part of a build, like this tribute Camaro, is that the car gets driven. Stroud assures us, Tim Allen drives his cars, and that makes some of his builds even more special – just knowing that the car will be put on the road instead of in a trailer.

But builds like this can’t happen when you can’t find the right parts, and that’s when Bodie reaches out to Classic Industries for 75-80% of the trim and interior on this car. Getting the right parts, that fit the first time, requires a company as dedicated to the build as Bodie Stroud, and Classic Industries didn’t disappoint.

With a 2013 Corvette 427 under the hood, backed by a Keisler 5-speed transmission, this car has the power to get it down the road. But getting it there looking great takes the right parts and the right builder. The winning combination – Bodie Stroud and Classic Industries – unveiled the car Tuesday morning at SEMA, and this Smokey Yunick inspired Camaro looked like it was begging to be driven hard.

Stroud likes all types of builds, whether it’s a full on custom, a restoration, or a resto-mod. His passion is for building a car for his customer that will meet – or exceed – expectations. The Smokey Yunick Camaro has a happy owner, proving once again that knowing what you want and putting it in the capable hands of a builder like Bodie Stroud is a great combination.

But for this classic Camaro, it wouldn’t be complete without the parts that Classic Industries carries, and we all know how the “Tool Man” pays attention to the details. For more information on hard-to-find parts for your classic Camaro, or several other classic cars from Tri-5 Chevys to Mopar, check out the Classic Industries web site and download a free catalog. Don’t forget to check out Bodie Stroud and see what he has going on – we’ll be checking in with him soon ourselves.